Distant Voices, Still Lives

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Audience Member One of my favorite films ever Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/15/23 Full Review isla s This is a somewhat nostalgic film about a family living in England, living through WWII and how they use music to lift their spirits. There is a sort of communal uplifting sense to it (it's not uplifting in itself but it shows people coming together to sing, which brings them together metaphorically), although it doesn't shy away from depicting grittier moments when they were made to rush for the air raid shelter as shrapnel falls all over. The characters are fairly likeable, with the exception of the unnamed patriarch, played by Pete Postlethwaite. While the film certainly features a fair bit of singing, to lift the moods of those depicted, among other things, it's true that there are scenes not featuring any singing as well. There is a definite sentimentality present but I liked that it's not what I'd regard artificially/unnecessarily cheesy. It very much toes the 'stiff upper lip' line. I thought it was quite telling how much was said between characters during scenes set in a local pub after a family occasion has taken place. It is perhaps a bit old fashioned - well, it's a period drama after all. It's not what I'd think of as especially memorable or great but it's certainly a good watch never the less, a real 'British film' as it were, so I'd recommend it on that basis. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Arty but adds nothing to the cinematic cannon. Except a bunch of scousers singing old wartime songs in a pub endlessly. Absolute pretension, boring drama. Don't watch, it's dull. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review john k Extremely depression type of movie, a very hard watch Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review William L A visionary piece of work and an emotional roller coaster told through a jagged narrative, Distant Voices, Still Lives strings together moments ranging from jubilation to unmediated anger to create a portrait of a working-class family in the mid-20th century, unifying them through a focus on song. The film drops the viewer in the deep end right off the bat, depicting a complex father figure in his early love, eventual abuse, inevitable death, and final recollections of his actions by others; the film constantly instills some strong emotional response to a particular character, only to undercut it later, demonstrating a dedication to character complexity and a reluctance to establish objectively 'good' or 'evil' characters. Despite jumping around between time periods seemingly randomly, the film never seems confusing, always effectively establishing its period and the relevance of a scene's contents in context. There is a somewhat distressing, occasionally uplifting range of tones, combining the positive and negative aspects of domestic life and confronting the dangerous Frank Capra treatment of a solely positive treatment of nostalgia. (4.5/5) Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/08/20 Full Review Audience Member A powerful and truly inspired piece of film-making 💘 Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Distant Voices, Still Lives

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